Kasidi Pickering couldn’t believe she had just hit a home run in the Women’s College World Series.

A swarm of Sooners met the OU freshman at home plate once she rounded the bases and it was fellow freshman Ella Parker who spun Pickering around, grabbed her and shook her as the two hollered in celebration.

Back home in Humble, Texas, as a kid, Pickering had idolized former Sooners who shined in the very spot she stood Wednesday night. Pickering stepped to the plate with a 1-1 count and received a pitch high in the zone that she didn’t miss.

Once she connected with Teagan Kavan’s pitch and sent it 262 feet, Devon Park exploded as Pickering’s swing gave OU a four-run lead in the third. The Sooners held all the momentum from there and the lead stuck in an 8-3 win, bringing the program one win away from the first four-peat in the sport’s history.

“It meant a lot to just put more runs on the board,” Pickering said. “And it meant even more that it was my first home run at the Women’s College World Series.”

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Pickering, whose homer was OU’s third of the game and forced the Longhorns to sit Kavan, has been a significant piece with four hits thus far during the WCWS. The No. 4 overall prospect out of high school by Extra Inning Softball put together a phenomenal season.

She was named to the All-Big 12 Freshman Team and is hitting .384 with 11 home runs and 49 runs batted in this season. Although Pickering dreamed of playing on the sport’s biggest stage, she hasn’t let the moment overwhelm her and has relied on the Sooners’ veteran core for guidance.

“I've felt very calm throughout this and my team has kept me very cool,” Pickering said. “But getting to this point and executing and just playing at this stage means so much to me. Hearing the seniors talk about their first experience, I’m not letting the moment get too big and I’m getting keys for when it does get too big for how to bring myself down.”

Pickering usually hits in the middle of the Sooners’ lineup and has helped provide consistency when the top or bottom of OU’s lineup has struggled to generate consistent offense at times.

Her big fly in the Sooners’ win was her fourth of the NCAA Tournament.

“Our lineup one through nine can get the job done,” Pickering said. “We have confidence in everyone. Passing the bat is our main thing and when I go up there, I just know my job is to get on base and let someone else score me.”

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The third-inning home run wasn’t the only time Pickering hammered a ball on Wednesday night. She crushed one deep to right field in the seventh inning before Texas outfielder Ashton Maloney robbed Pickering of a two-homer night.

“Just knowing what pitch was coming,” Pickering said about what was going through her mind. “I tried to get all of it but didn’t, I don’t know who has ever gotten a home run twice in the World Series but (it would’ve been cool).”

Parker and Pickering have been OU’s freshman duo throughout the season.

With most of the Sooners’ core out of eligibility after this season, Parker and Pickering are expected to be massive pieces of the program’s future. While they aren’t looking ahead yet, Pickering appreciates the bond the two have built this season.

It’s been nice for Pickering to have another freshman going through the same things for the first time.

“We pair very well together,” Pickering said. “We can talk game plans and talk everything out on the field. It works very seamlessly, we know we're both in this together in the same space and we just trust each other.”

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The job isn’t done as OU will aim to make history during Game 2 of the championship series against Texas at 7 p.m. Thursday night on ESPN.

Pickering’s calm confidence will undoubtedly anchor the Sooners’ lineup like it has all season.

“We’re just going to try to keep the moment what it is,” Pickering said, “and try not to get too far outside of ourselves and just allow our pitchers and our offense to carry us.”

This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: How Kasidi Pickering's calm confidence anchors OU softball in WCWS